UPDATE: Two counts of animal cruelty have been filed against a 55-year-old homeless man in the January 30th killing of two German shepherd puppies at the WRTA terminal. The accused, William Bednar, has a history of animal abuse. Security cameras placed him in the area around the time of the killings. The two counts of animal cruelty are felony charges. At this time, it is unknown if he was involved in any of the other recent incidents involving dog torture and/or killing.

A petition has been started, asking Youngstown Municipal Court Judge Elizabeth Kobly that if found guilty, William Bednar receive the maximum sentence allowable under law. Please speak up against animal abuse by signing the petition:

In just a few weeks time, there have been at least six incidents involving eight dogs that were tortured and/or killed in Youngstown, Ohio.

• January 21, 2012: A German shepherd puppy was found bound, gagged, and left for dead on a porch. A neighbor who found the puppy called police. This little pup survived and is being treated. Some of the dogs were not so lucky, though.

• January 30: Two more 6-week-old German shepherd puppies were found in a bag near the WRTA terminal downtown. They, too, had been bound and “choke tied”. The puppies legs were tied to their necks, so the more they struggled, the more the noose tightened around their necks, choking them to death. The two puppies were dead by the time they were discovered.

• February 1: A pit bull stuffed inside a garbage can was found dumped in a ravine. The dog had bite marks, leading investigators to believe a dog fighting ring was involved.

• February 6: Witnesses saw two men in a blue van throw two dogs over a bridge and onto a highway overpass. Thor, an Akita, and Sadie, a lab/beagle mix, were stolen out of their yard. Drivers had to swerve to miss hitting the dogs, but fortunately both dogs are now back with their worried owner and are doing well.

• February 8: On the west side of Youngstown, a young black Labrador retriever was found with its right rear leg and part of its tail chopped off. The Labrador survived and has undergone surgery. After all this pup has gone through, the sweet dog remains happy and loving. A deputy at the dog warden’s office plans to adopt this sweet dog.

• February 8: Also on Youngstown’s west side, a dog was found hanging from a tree. It is believed to have been there for three or four days. The Humane Society determined the dog was likely abandoned and not intentionally hanged.

It is unknown if the cases are related.

Enough of the abuse, torture and killing of innocent dogs in Youngstown!

Please, if you have any information on who is killing dogs in Youngstown, contact the Mahoning County Dog Warden at (330) 740-2205 or Youngstown Crime Stoppers at (330) 746-CLUE. Your call can be anonymous, and a reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any of these cases.

Note: Across the country, there have been many recent reports of animals being snatched from their yards. Please microchip and keep an eye on your innocent friends – your pets – to make sure they are safe and can be returned home if they are stolen.